Bobbin winder for sewing machines



Sept. 9, 1941. 'N. E. COLEGROVE BOBBIN WINDER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Sept. 14; 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

. Nam/own. 5f 41:62am- ATTORNEYfi Patented Sept. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES I T 6 F 1 QE BOBBIN WINDER FOR SEWING MACHINES Application September 14, 1939, Serial No. 294,905

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a sewing machine and more particularly to a bobbin-winding device therefor. 1

In sewing machines it is generally recognized that, in addition to the sewing mechanism proper, means must be provided for winding the bobbins which carry the thread, such as the shuttle or lower thread. It is desirable, for reasons well understood in the art, that the bobbinwinding means be so constructed that it can be operated without operating the sewing mechanism proper, or conversely that the latter can be operated without operating the bobbin-winding means. This has been accomplished heretofore by having the bobbin-winding means operated by the same source of power that operates the sewing mechanism proper and then employing an arrangement which functions to disconnect the sewing mechanism proper from the source of power when the bobbin-winding means is connected thereto and vice versa.

In providing such an arrangement it has been customary to employ clutches or similar devices for the purpose specified. As illustrative of the practice heretofore followed in this connection, attention is called to one of the common arrangements which is to provide means in the form of a suitable clutch for disconnecting the hand wheel of the sewing machine from the upper shaft in the head, together with suitable means for operatively connecting the bobbin-winding means to the hand wheel when the latter is disconnected from said upper shaft, it being. understood that in this example the source of power is probably an electric motor which has a frictional driving relationship with the hand wheel.

7 The principal object of the present invention is to provide in a sewing machine improved and novel bobbin-winding means, the source of power for driving said means being independent of the source of power which drives the sewing mechanism proper of the machine, thus eliminating the necessity for employing clutches or other similar means for disconnecting the sewing mechanism proper from its drive when the bobbin-winding means is being operated.

In electrically operated sewing machines of the lock stitch type employing upper and lower threads, the driving motor may be positively connected to the sewing mechanism proper by means of permanently intermeshed gears selected with a View that the loop forming mechanism above the bed plate and the shuttle or hook mechanism below the'bed plate will always be properly synmachines of this type it is clear that it would not be advisable to disengage the gearing referred to which, as stated, should remain in permanent intermeshing relationship. Therefore, it would be necessary to provide clutch or equivalent means for disconnecting the main driving motor from the drive to the sewing mechanism proper if said motor is to be utilized for driving the bobbin-winding means. The provision of such clutch or equivalent means in the relationship referred to presents difiiculties inasmuch as it is desirable to have the spindle of the main driving motor connected to the main drive shaft of the sewing machine in direct driving relationship thereto.

In sewing machines of the type just referred to, further difficulties are experienced where the main driving motor is located below the bed plate of the machine and the spindle of the motor is directly and positively connected to the drive for the sewing mechanism proper. Not only would it be necessary to provide a clutch or equivalent means, as previously referred to, for disengaging the motor spindle from the drive to the sewing mechanism proper, but it would also be necessary to provide means for operating such clutch or equivalent means from a point above the bed plate of the machine where it is readily accessible to the operator. Furthermore, the bobbin-winding meansmust be in a position where it is accessible to the operator for the mounting on or removal from the same of the bobbins to be wound and, therefore, it would be necessary to provide driving means extending from the motor spindle below the bed plate to the bobbin-winding means located above the bed plate.

In order to avoid the obstacles and disadvantages above referred to, the present invention contemplates a bobbin-winding device which can be actuated by its own prime mover and entirely independently of the actuation of the prime mover for the drive to the sewing mechanism proper of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to'p rovide a bobbin-winding means for a sewing machine which is actuated by its own prime mover and includes control means for said prime mover such that the operation of the latter is automatically stopped upon the completion of the winding of a bobbin.

A further and more specific object is to provide a bobbin-winding means for a sewing machine which is actuated by an electric motor separate from and independent of the source of chronized to form the correct stitch. In sewing power for operating the sewing mechanism proper and which means includes a device for automatically interrupting the electric circuit to said motor when a bobbin has been wound.

A still further object is to provide, in a sewing machine employing an electric motor as the source of power for the drive to the sewing mechanism proper, a bobbin-winding means directly driven by a separate electric motor deriving its electrical energy from the electrical leads to the main driving motor but controlled independently of the main driving motor.

A further and additional object is to provide in a sewing machine such as specified in the last named object and wherein the main driving motor for the drive to the sewing mechanism proper is located below the bed plate, means carried by the main driving motor for electrically connecting the separate motor for the bobbin winding means to the same source of electrical energy.

Further and additional objects and advantages not hereinbefore specified will become apparent hereinafter during the detailed description which is to follow of several embodiments of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illua trating certain embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front view of the head of a sewing machine of the lock stitch type, wherein the main driving motor is located beneath the bed plate of the machine and has its spindle directly, positively and permanently connected to the drive to the sewing mechanism proper, said head being shown partly in elevation and partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the right hand end of Fig. 1, the bed plate and gooseneck of the head being indicated by dash lines, while the bobbin-winding means is illustrated in full lines.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational View, partly in section, of the bobbin-winding means and shows by dash lines the device carried by the main motor for connecting the separate motor of the bobbin-winding means to the electrical circuit.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the bobbinwinding means and is taken from the left hand end of Fig. 2, the switch and its associated parts being shown in the closed or motor operating position.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with certain of the parts broken away and shown in section to disclose other of the parts which do not appear in Fig. 4 or which are shown therein by dotted lines, the switch and its associated parts being shown in the open position wherein the motor is not operating.

Fig. 5a is a diagram of the wiring to the main motor and the motor of the bobbin-winding device, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front view of a sewing machine head, partly in section and partly in elevation, having the main driving motor for the sewing mechanism proper located in a different position and connected to the drive for the sewing mechanism proper in a different way than is the main driving motor shown in Fig. 1.

The sewing machine head shown in Fig. 1 com prises the usual bed plate Ill having on the upper side thereof the usual hollow gooseneck composed of the vertical portion H and the horizontal portion l2 which has attached to its outer or free end thehousing I3 for the well known needle bar andtake-up mechanism of this type of sewing machine.

The source of power for actuating the sewing mechanism proper is an electric motor I4 that is mounted below the bed plate Hi. The spindle or shaft of this motor carries a spiral gear 15 which is in direct, permanent, intermeshing relationship with a corresponding spiral gear 16 fixed on the lower end of a vertical shaft l! rctatably supported in the vertical portion ll of the gooseneck and extending into the horizontal portion l2 thereof. The upper end of the vertical shaft H has fixed thereto a spiral gear l8 which is permanently and directly intermeshed with a corresponding spiral gear l9 fixed to the shaft 28 rotatably supported in the horizontal portion 12 of the gooseneck and operatively connected to the needle bar and take-up mechanism carried by the housing l3. The vertical shaft ll adjacent its lower end and above the spiral gear [6 has fixed thereto a spiral gear 2| which is directly and permanently meshed with a corresponding gear 22 fixed on one end of a shaft 23 rotatably supported beneath the bed plate H1 in suitable bearings and having its opposite end operatively connected to and actuating the hook 'or shuttle mechanism indicated generally at 2 3 and which cooperates with the needle and needle bar in the formation of the stitch.

It will be seen that the shafts 29 and 23 are permanently interconnected through the shaft II with each other and with the main driving motor and hence, by a proper selection of the intermeshing gears, the loop forming mechanism comprising the needle bar and take-up located above the bed plate is in permanent and correct synchronization with the hook or shuttle mechanism 24 located below the bed plate, to the end of obtaining the correct formation of the stitch.

It will be seen that many difficulties are presented if a bobbin-winding means is to be driven by the motor [4. In the first place, clutch or equivalent mechanism must be provided for disconnecting the gear !5 on the motor spindle from the gear i6 and connecting the gear l5 to s. the drive to the bobbin-winding means, and that when such mechanism is provided it will be located below the bed plate i0 and hence inaccessible, thus requiring that the operating means for said mechanism be positioned above the bed plate, where it will be accessible to the operator. In addition, the drive for the bobbin-winding meanswould have to be extended from adjacent the gear l5 to a point above the bed plate where said bobbin-winding means would necessarily be located.

In obviating these diificulties and in carrying out the present invention as contemplated, it is proposed to employ a bobbin-winding means that is driven byits own prime mover in the form of a small electric motor and which means can be mounted on the upper side of the bed plate ID in a convenient and accessible location and so positioned that the small separate electric motor included therein can obtain its electrical energy from the same source as does the main driving motor i l, but can be controlled entirely independently thereof.

The bobbin-winding means or device comprises a supporting frame or housing 25, preferably provided with attaching flanges 26 through which may extend the screws that secure the device to the upper side of the bed plate I 0 of the sewing machine. A small electric motor of suitable design, and indicated generally at 21,

, is supported in the housing 25 with the spindle 28 of the motor extending horizontally and pro- J'ecting beyond the housing so that a bobbin 29 can be positioned on the spindle and rotated thereby.

A lever arm 39 is pivotally mounted in the housing 25 on a horizontal axis and its upper end is provided with a fiat laterally and upwardly extending bobbinwinder pad 3|, the outerextremity 32 of which is disposed at an angle to the main portion of the pad to enable'the same to be grasped by the fingers of the operator. The bobbin-winder pad 3| is of a width such that it can extend between the end walls of the bobbin and contact the thread being wound thereon or can contact the barrel or hub of the bobbin before any thread has been wound on the same.

Also pivotally mounted in the housing 25 is a switch actuating latch 33., This latch is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends and is provided at one end with a reduced portion 34 which cooperates, under certain conditions later to be explained, with a detent shoulder 35 formed on the lever 30. The opposite end of the latch 33 is provided with a laterally extending switch actuating pin 36 formed of suitable non-conducting material and engaging the upper spring finger 31 of an electrical switch, the opening or closing of which controls the circuit through the motor 21. The lower spring finger of this switch is indicated at 33 and both fingers carry suitable contact points adjacent their free ends. An electrical conduit 39 is connected to the arm 31 while the arm 38 is electrically connected to the motor 21 by a conduit 39a (see Fig. a). An electrical conduit 4!] is connected directly to the motor 21.

It will be seen that when the latch 33 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4 the pin 36 presses the finger 31 of the switch to bring its contact point into engagement with the contact point carried by the finger 38 and thus closes the circuit through the conduits 39, 33a, and 40 and themotor to effect operation thereof and rotation of the spindle 28. At this time the portion 34 of the latch 33 is resting on the detent shoulder 35 of the lever 39 while the bobbin-winder pad 3| lies between the walls of the bobbin. Due to the engagement of the reduced portion 34 of the latch with the detent shoulder 35 of the lever 30, the switch is held closed until the lever 30 has been rocked to a position where the portion 34 of the latch is disengaged from the detent shoulder 35 such rocking movement of the lever 30 being occasioned by the outward movement of the bobbin-winder pad 3| as the thread is wound upon the bobbin. Of course, as soon as the portion 34 of the latch leaves the detent shoulder 35, the spring fingers 31 and 38 of the switch separate and the circuit to the motor is interrupted and its operation stopped.

The electrical conduits 39 and 40 are connected to suitable lead-in contacts 4| in this instance, mounted in the bottom wall of the housing 25 and extending completely through the same where their lower ends are exposed for engagement with spring contacts later to be referred to.

In the embodiment of the invention now being upper side of the bed plate in a position directly over the motor I4. Therefore, in order to simplify the structure the leads 42 and 43 through which current is brought to the motor I4 from the source of electrical energy are connected interiorly of the motor casing by wires 44 and 45 with terminals 46 mounted in a suitable container 41 preferably carried by the casing of motor M on the upper side thereof. The terminals 46 include spring contact buttons 48 located within the compartment 41 and engaging the lower ends of the contacts 4| carried by the bottom wall of the housing 25. It will be understood that one of the leads includes a control element 43a and that the wire 45, for instance, is connected to the lead 43 in advance of the control element as clearly shown in Fig. 50.. It will thus be seen that the current for the bobbinwinder motor 27 is derived from the same source as the current for the main motor I4 but that each, motor is controlled independently of the other and that it is merely necessary to provide an opening in the bed plate I0 to receive the compartment 41 and permit the bobbin-winder device to be mounted in position on the upper side of. the bed plate, so that the lower ends of the contacts 4| are in contact with the buttons 48.

The operation of the bobbin winder when applied to a sewing machine head, such as shown in Fig. 1, will now be described.

The bobbin-winder pad 3| being in the position shown in Fig. 5, at which time the spring contact fingers 37 and 38 of the switch are separated and the motor 21 is not in operation, a bobbin is placed on the spindle 2B and a starting portion of the end of a thread 49 is arranged thereon. The thread 49 extends from a spool of thread 5|! mounted on the regular spool pin 5| on the top of the gooseneck and extends through a usual thread guide 52 downwardly to the bobbin. When the thread 49 has been connected to the bobbin on the spindle 28 the operator manually moves the pad 3| toward the bobbiin to bring the pad into engagement with the thread and thi movement causes the latch 33 to rock in" the direction to bring the contact points of the'fingen; 37 and 38 into engagement to close the circuit through the motor and start the operation of the same, it being noted that the reduced portion 34 of the latch 33 is now riding on the detent shoulder 35 of the lever 30 as shown in Fig. 4. At this time the motor I4 may be idle or it may be operated, depending upon the wishes of the operator.

The operation of the motor 27, with the resultant rotation of the bobbin, causes the thread to be wound on the bobbin, it being noted that the guide 52 provides a fixed point from which the thread leads to the bobbin and that during the winding operation the thread oscillates from one bobbin end wall to the other continuously forming opposite helices until the bobbin is filled with thread. As the bobbin fills with thread the pad 3| is gradually moved outwardly by the thread until the winding operation has been completed, at which time the pad 3| and lever 30 have been moved sufficiently far to cause the reduced portion 34 of the latch 33 to ride off the detent shoulder 35-and allow the spring fingers of the switch to separate and thus interrupt the circuit tothe motor 21 and stop the operation of the same, whereupon the filled bobbin can be removedirom the spindle 28.

It will be understood that the operation of the motor 21 is controlled entirely by the separation or engagement of the fingers 31 and 38 of the switch and that the control element 43a of the motor l4 does not affect the operation of the motor 21.

In Fig. 6 a difierent form of sewing machine head is shown than is illustrated in Fig. 1. In this latter figure the shaft 53, corresponding to the shaft 25 in Fig. 1 and located in the horizontal portion of the gooseneck, extends outwardly of the gooseneck and has fixed thereto a gear 54 which meshes with a gear 55 fixed tothe end of the spindle of a main driving motor 55 that is mounted or supported from the column of the gooseneck of the sewing machine head. The bobbin-winding device is located in the same position as shown in- Fig. 1 and the parts being identical are identified by the same reference characters. It will be noted, however, that the housing 25 instead of being provided with the contacts 4| extending through the bottom wall of the housing has an opening extending through said wall and is provided with a tubular downwardly extending boss 51 surrounding said opening and arranged to extend through an opening in the bed plate i0. Conduits 58 and 59, corresponding to conduits 39 and 40 and which are connected to the switch and motor in the bobbinwinding device, extend through this opening and boss and may be connected within the housing of the motor 55 to the leads which connect said motor 56 to a source of electrical energy or they may be connected to the said source of electrical energy at a point remote to said motor 56.

Although preferred forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, it should be understood that the invention may take various other forms and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A bobbin-winding device for a sewing machine in the form of a self-contained unit adapted to be secured to the machine and which comprises a housing, a motor mounted therein, a bobbin receiving spindle rotatable in said housing and driven by said motor, a switch controlling said motor and located in said housing, and means carried by said housing for controlling said switch and including a movable member having a portion adapted to engage with the thread being wound on the bobbin and to be moved thereby to open said switch when the bobbin has been wound, said member being manually moved toclose said switch.

2. A bobbin-winding device for a sewing machine in the form of a self-contained unit adapted to be secured to the machine and which comprises a housing, a motor mounted in said housing and having its spindle extended beyond said housing and adapted to receive a bobbin, a switch controlling said motor and located in said housing, and means carried by said housing for controlling said switch and including a movable member having a portion adapted to engage with the thread being wound on the bobbin and to be moved thereby to open said switch when'the bobbin has been wound, said member being manually moved to close said switch.

3. A bobbin-winding device for a sewing machine in the form of a self-contained unit adapted to be secured to the machine and which comprises a, housing, a motor mounted in said housing, a. bobbin-receiving spindle driven by said motor and rotatably supported in said housing, a switch controlling said motor and located in said housing, and means carried by saidhousing for controlling said switch and including a movable member having a portion adapted to engage with the thread being wound on the bobbin and to be moved thereby to open said switch when the bobbin has been Wound and cooperating elements also carried by said housing for holding said member in the position to which it has been thus moved until said member is manually moved to efiec't a closing of said switch.

4. A bobbin-winding device for a sewing machine in the form of a self-contained unit adapted to be secured to the machine and which comprises a housing, a motor mounted in said housing, a bobbin-receiving spindle driven by said motor and extending outwardly of said housing and supported by the same, a switch controlling said motor and located in said housing, and means located in said housing for controlling said switch and including a pivoted lever having a pad portion adapted to extend between the side walls of a bobbin and engage the thread being wound thereon, a pivoted latch having a portion operatively associated with said switch and a portion in operative association with said lever, said lever being provided with a detent shoulder cooperating with said last named portion to hold said latch in switch closing position until said pad has been moved outwardly a predetermined distance by the thread being wound on the bobbin, said lever and latch being manually moved to close said switch.

5. A bobbin-winding device for a sewing machine in the form of a self-contained unit adapted to be secured to the machine and which comprises a housing, a motor mounted in said housing, a bobbin-receiving spindle carried by said housing and driven by said motor and extending outwardly of said housing, a switch located in said housing for controlling said motor, and means carried by said housing for controlling said switch and manually actuated to close said switch and automatically actuated by the thread being wound on said bobbin to open said switch when the bobbin has been wound.

6. A bobbin-winding device for a sewing machine in the form of a unit adapted to be socured to the bed plate of the machine, said device comprising a housing, a motor mounted in said housing, a bobbin-receiving spindle carried by said housing and driven by said motor, means carried by said housing and adapted when said unit is secured tothe bed plate of the machine to electrically connect said motor with a source of electrical energy, and means carried by said housing for controlling said motor.

'7. A bobbin-winding device for a sewing machine in the form of a unit adapted to be secured to the bed plate of the machine and above the driving motor for the sewing mechanism, said device com-prising a housing, a motor mounted in said housing, a bobbin-receiving spindle rotatably supported in said housing and driven by said motor, means carried by said housing and adapted when said unit is secured to the bed plate of the machine to connect the motor of said device to the same source of electrical energy as the driving motor for the sewing machine, and means carried by said housing for controlling the motor of said device and including a switch located in said housing, and a-movable element controlling the opening and closing of said switch and movable in one direction by the thread being wound on the bobbin to open the switch when the bobbin has been wound and movable manually in the opposite directionto close the switch to start the winding operation.

8. A bobbin-winding device for a sewing machine in the form of a unit adapted to be secured to the bed plate of the machine and directly over an opening therein which is situated over the driving motor for the sewing mechanism and which motor has its casing provided with electrical contacts underlying the opening and connected within the motor casing and in advance of the control element for said motor with the source of electrical energy for the motor, said device comprising a housing adapted to be se cured directly over said opening, a motor mounted in said housing, a bobbin-receiving spindle rotatably supported by said housing and driven by said last named motor, electrical contacts carried by said housing and adapted when said unit is secured to the bed plate to engage the contacts carried by the casing of said driving motor, electrical connections between the motor of said device and the contacts carried by the housing thereof and including a switch located in said housing, and means for opening and closing said switch including a movable member having a portion adapted to fit between the end walls of a bobbin on said spindle and-to be moved in one direction by the thread being wound on the bobbin to automatically open said switch when said bobbin has been wound, said portion being manually movable in the opposite direction to close said switch. 7

NATHANIEL E. COLEGROVE. 

